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The Wild West days of flying unmanned drones with few or no restrictions in Utah could end if one lawmaker gets his way.
Sen. Wayne Harper, R-Taylorsville, is proposing an array of new rules because he said drones have "interfered with police and fire operations … have gone into the flight paths of airplanes and then we've had some issues and some complaints about privacy."
He outlined a bill he is drafting on Wednesday to the Legislature's Government Operations Interim Committee, and said he is seeking comment from the public and colleagues before the Legislature convenes in January.
It would ban operating drones within certain distances of emergency operations, airports, prisons, large fireworks displays or events where more than 500 people are gathered.
Attaching weapons to drones would be outlawed.
The bill would require flying drones no higher than 500 feet above the ground, and would ban operating them from a moving vehicle.
Also, it would prohibit trespassing by using an unmanned aircraft, using them for voyeurism, or for committing a "privacy violation" such as stalking.
A variety of penalties would be attached for each different sort of violation.
Harper said he has been working on the bill for a year, and has studied restrictions in other states and current or proposed federal rules. He said his bill would affect only recreational and private use of drones.
Lawmakers on Wednesday seemed most interested in whether the bill might also allow homeowners to destroy any unwanted drones they see hovering around their property — and several urged Harper to somehow include that.
Rep. Curt Oda, R-Clearfield, a well-known gun enthusiast, gave some fair warning on that issue. "If a drone comes over my place, it's going to be a very expensive clay pigeon," he said.